The Beauty of the Lord, the reality of Life

The Lord is my rock and my fortress, He is mighty, He is merciful, His blood covers me, I am filled with his peace. What an amazing feeling and worthy of everyone's consideration when they look at their life and gage how they are doing on their own? Is there own "inner strength" enough to sustain them with a measure of peace and promise in times of trials and pain? Or is there something missing? Is life not going quite as planned because they are trying in vain to steer their own course, plot their own path, make it on their own in a world that is pulling us all in every possible direction at the same time. The TV taunts us to buy more stuff, to make more money, to drive a fancier car... the one who dies with the most toys wins. It is a sad thought that so many folks are consumed by the need for more stuff and less concerned about the spiritual health and the spiritual health of their families. I am not sitting in judgement, I am merely speaking of what I witness on a daily basis. It doesn't matter how many toys you have, when death comes, they mean nothing! You leave this world the same way you came in to it, with nothing but your soul, your spirit and your physical presence. Reality check folks... think about it.

God loves us no matter who we are, how many toys we have and what choices we have made in our lives. But in order to find peace, we must reconcile those choices with God. I see the tears in the eyes of parents whose child is using drugs and they are so torn and frustrated and scared. Well they should be; their child's life and future is on the line. These young people are setting a precedence for a pattern of making bad choices that could - I say could stay with them the rest of their lives if something doesn't click in their minds, if something doesn't change.

That change can not be forced or coerced - it needs to come within them. They need a reason to move in a positive forward motion. They need guidance as to how to bring about this change. They need not only new skill sets for daily living but also a new thought process, a new faith process for spiritual growth, for lifetime success. The seeds need to be planted and then nurtured so that they continue to grow, strong and healthy and able to stand on their own without drugs, without alcohol... standing gloriously with the Lord and a host of heavenly Angels to guide them forward.

Blessings
Rose

Uninvited pain

As I stood elbow deep in my cleaning bucket a rush came over me. Yes, she's gone... Angie's gone. It's not like I ever forget it, that reality clings to me, it's part of me. Moments come however, when the pain flows through me as if I had been struck by a lightening bolt. Her pain becomes my pain. I remember clearly her tears flowing soaking my shirt as I held her tightly. Mom, why am I so different, why don't I have any friends... I want to be liked, I want to be loved. So beaten down by the world around her, longing to be part of a circle of friends that did not include drugs in their life style. Trying to be part of their world and being shunned with every effort. Most people do not believe in second changes, they don't believe people can change. How sad really, that we aren't willing to give those who have made mistakes a chance to be welcomed back with open arms to the friends who once claimed to love them. The ripping apart of my heart seems to never end. I miss her so very much. I miss her smile, her beautiful heart, her gift of poetry... her relentless quest to learn... someday. I close my eyes and picture her as she comes to me in dreams... I so long to reach out and touch her there but it is only that... a longing. I pray to the Lord for his peace that surpasses all understanding so that I can make it through another day.

How are these young people today with the same problems, the same issues, the same desires suppose to reach out to another world, one without drugs? Where do they go from where they are to where they want to be? Can you imagine how hard it is to find new friends? To start over again during your teenage years? A time when your emotions and hormones are raging and volatile? How do they step out of what has become their comfort zone with drugs and alcohol into a world where they must feel everything... exactly how it is meant to be felt... no numbing, no extra laughter... no hazed over thoughts. Just pure, real emotion. Oh Lord I pray you will speak to me the words that will help to answer this question. Give me the ways and means to bring about the change needed to help these young people grow beyond this haze of drugs...

I could not take Angie's pain and longing from her, I could only love her, hold her... pray for her. Was there more I could have done? The answer to that questions will no doubt plaque me the rest of my days on this earth.